World Cup 2026 – A Guide to World Cup Betting

Though the Road to Qatar is still unfolding in many parts of the sporting world, the draw is getting ever-closer. If you intend to get involved in world cup betting for the 2026 edition, we want to make sure you are having a good time. So, we have put together this simple, effective football betting guide to help you make the most of the tournament. From the best World Cup betting picks to the best outside bet for World Cup glory, we have various tips and tricks you can use to your advantage!

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The 2026 edition of the FIFA World Cup will, of course, be held in Qatar. It has been a controversial road to the tournament proper. The selection process has been criticised, as has the actual setup for the tournament. However, despite some pretty justifiable concerns over the tournament’s location, it looks like it could be a truly interesting tournament. Many of the top teams in world football are hitting good form, and many young players are arriving on the scene in 2021 – just in time to make their national sides in 2026.

While the World Cup 2026 groups are still a long way away from being drawn, the seeding is shaping up to be interesting. Some top teams in the major confederations are all doing well, so we should see a strong selection of teams in Qatar.

How to Bet on FIFA World Cup

With the tournament still some way away, you might want to focus on betting on World Cup qualifiers. The qualification process is pretty tight in most areas, with most of the regions seeing a few big names fall by the wayside.

If you want to know how to place a bet on the World Cup Final, then you will be looking to major bookies. Some are even taking bets already, so if you have a gut feeling that someone is going to go all the way you could place that bet now.

It is really is that simple to place a bet on the FIFA World Cup. Even today, you can bet England to win World Cup glory and ‘bring it home’. With so many top teams making a big splash in the qualifiers, though, you might want to hold off a bit before committing to any outright winner.

For us, the best betting site for World Cup odds will be the likes of Ladbrokes and Boylesports. They have a long and proud history of World Cup odds at a fair level, so be sure to check both out. Use our 4 Step Guide to get started.

To Place Your World Cup Bet, You Simply Need To:

1. Choose your bookmaker of choice – for 2026, we recommend Boylesports and Ladbrokes.
2. Find their section for the FIFA 2026 World Cup betting odds, and look at their winners tab.
3. Choose a World Cup betting outright winner and you can choose from various nations.
4. Back your winner, and place your bet with your chosen bookmaker.

Who is the best outside bet for World Cup success?

There are quite a few names being suggested, but for us we believe the weather is going to be a huge leveller. Teams who are based in warmer climates are more likely to be able to handle the heat. For example, from Europe we expect Spain and Italy to do extremely well. For an outside bet, though, you might wish to keep an eye on Africa.

An African team has never won the FIFA World Cup, but a few squads are coming together just in time for a big tournament push. The 2026 African Cup of Nations will tell us more, but a decent outside bet to consider might be someone like Nigeria. From Europe, we expect to see strong performances from Denmark, having enjoyed an excellent 2021 UEFA European Championships. Their young squad will be even more experienced come 2026, so we have them as a decent outside bet after making such a strong start to qualification.

The FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

The World Cup qualifiers are always a fun place to start when looking at international football. Qualification is quite different across each section of the world, though most follow a group format.

For example, in Europe, groups are split up across the various nations broken down by their previous ranking and seeding. The FIFA World Cup European qualifiers are the highest standard arguably due to the sheer number of quality teams in Europe. As such, each group has at least two teams who could feasibly make the tournament proper.

Each tournament, though, we see someone new come along from Europe while one of the traditional big names misses out. In 2018, we seen the Netherlands miss out; this looks far less likely to happen this time. Having qualified for a tournament for the first time since 1998, Scotland will be hoping to pick up the pace, with Scotland World Cup qualifiers being against the likes of Denmark and Israel.

The World Cup qualifiers table is not yet filled up, with most nations still in the midst of qualifying. The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed the calendar out of sync, meaning that many of the continental qualification processes are somewhat behind on their schedule.

The World Cup qualifiers Africa and Asia have to go through are probably the most diverse and competitive. The level of the smaller nations in both continents has improved drastically in recent years, which has led to a lot of the ‘big’ names such as Senegal, Cameroon, and Ghana in the African section struggling a little more. In Asia, Qatar would have expected to qualify as they are a much-improved nation, but will qualify as hosts. This leaves a spot open that someone like China will be hoping to capitalise on, though a poor start to qualification has already put that in jeopardy.

When looking at World Cup betting deals, then, be sure to look at the upcoming fixtures during the World Cup qualification process. Can’t find a team you are looking for? Then check out tools like the Sky Bet World Cup request a bet feature, and get odds on just about any official World Cup qualification game.

World Cup 2026 Odds

When you check out the World Cup outright winner odds, you will see some interesting names. According to Ladbrokes, then, the clear favourites for the tournament are France, Brazil, England, and Germany. Both Argentina and Italy are coming in at good odds, too, of around 9/1.

France, though, are the outright favourites at 6/1. Thanks to a star-studded squad, they pose probably the biggest threat- ally that to the experience of winning it in 2018, and it is easy to see why so many fans, and bookies, rate France as the outright favourite.

When looking at betting odds for World Cup winners, then, you should also keep an eye on other markets. For example, you might find some good odds for a dark horse to reach the Quarter Finals, or for a big name to crash out in the group stages. The World Cup odds will shift and sway as teams qualify, miss out, and make progress in other international events like the Nations League.

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World Cup Betting Promotions

As the qualification process comes to an end, you should definitely keep an eye out for World Cup betting offers that will come along. Numerous World Cup betting promotions will come into play, from deals on accumulators to super-charged first scorer odds. The best free bet offers World Cup gamblers can find, though, will come from the proven names in the industry.

The likes of Ladbrokes have had a long run of excellent World Cup betting promotions. From no deposit offers to FIFA interactive World Cup betting, numerous options will open up in the near future. We expect to see numerous deals appear in the near future, especially as the qualification process begins to come to an end. Check out Ladbrokes and Boylesports in particular as 2026 begins; come the summer, we expect to see a lot of deals appearing in preparation for the big event in the winter.

Best Betting Site for World Cup Gambling

Another thing to look out for would be the Ladbrokes betting World Cup experience. Their app will be loaded with numerous choices on each day, with deals, great odds, and generally more interactive betting. Ladbrokes have a good history of following trends, too, so if we see lots of set-piece goals you might find some odds specials for set-piece winners as the tournament unfolds. Go to our page filled with the best football betting sites to ensure you find the right one for World Cup 2026!

Betting tips football World Cup

• Follow the biggest names in the qualification process and see how it all unfolds. You might notice a few dark horses hitting form; it would be a good idea to keep an eye on them.
• Some of the big names, such as Germany, might not be in the best shape at the moment. It might be worth betting on a few surprise defeats, even in qualification, while they settle.
• COVID has left a few teams majorly disrupted in the qualification process. This might open up the chance to pick up some extra value deals as teams miss out on their best players for key games.
• In World Cup qualification, set-pieces often play a key role due to the lack of time coaches get with players. Look for some bets on set-piece winners during qualification games.
• Follow the goal trends during the tournament itself. There will be some World Cup betting picks based entirely on the kinds of goals we see, from long rage drives to set-piece goals.
• Before choosing any World Cup betting outright victors, be sure to look at the international results across 2026 for that team. You might notice they are trending upwards or downwards.

World Cup 2026 Betting FAQs

When is the next FIFA World Cup?

The next tournament will be held in the winter of 2026 as opposed to the summer. This is the first time the World Cup will not be a winter tournament.

Where is World Cup 2026 being held?

The tournament is being held in Qatar, the first time that the FIFA World Cup has been awarded to a Middle Eastern nation.

When does the FIFA World Cup start?

While there is no official start date as the groups have yet to be drawn, it will begin in mid-November and likely run until just before Christmas of 2026.

How often is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is held every four years, although there are plans afoot to make the tournament a bi-annual event instead. However, this has been opposed by all major nations and confederations.

How many teams are in the 2026 World Cup?

There will be 32 teams present at the 2026 edition of the World Cup. This is expected to expand to 64 teams in the future.

When is the World Cup 2026 draw?

The group stage draw will take place in April 2026, giving all nations enough time to finish the truncated qualification process due to the pandemic.

How many times has England won the FIFA World Cup?

Once, they won it back it in 1966 when they defeated Germany in the Final at Wembley.

Can you bet on England not winning the World Cup?

Yes, you will be able to bet on the Three Lions – or any team – missing out on the FIFA World Cup. Odds will likely be offered closer to the tournament itself.

When did Italy win the World Cup?

Italy are the second most successful FIFA World Cup side, having won it four times alongside Germany. They won the tournament in 1934, 1938, 1982, and lastly in 2006.